


churches and dust

by InShores



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-24
Updated: 2018-09-24
Packaged: 2019-07-16 06:33:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16080455
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InShores/pseuds/InShores
Summary: A previously great empire finds how fragile his immortality really is through a glittering church and an ill-fated letter.





	churches and dust

**Author's Note:**

> In which I have headcanoned the byzantine empire to be comprised of both Greece and Rome because Byzantinians have thought of them Romans undoubtedly (through laws, lifestyle and etc). theres some minor historical points here and there. But there is probably a billion historical inaccuracies people can point out with that previous statement and throughout the fanfic. 
> 
> I only wrote this for fun so please excuse any historical inaccuracies!
> 
> Also Rome's human name is Marcus Julius Romulus, Greece's Aphrodisia and Egypt's Esi-ka (which the ladies' names and personalities are created to my friends' ideas first and foremost).
> 
> also wrote without any betas oof so a lot of mistakes rip

He sat in the grand church filled with colorful, glittering mosaics with equally shining gold items placed throughout the front. From the front, he saw the kind, understanding stares of the saints as they watched others praying for their blessings and guidance. More importantly, there was a cross in front, embellished with all the riches the empire had to offer. The red rubies was meant to remind him of the blood spilled for his sake. This glitter and gold contrasted with the marble and dark rooms he was used to. The dark held the mysteriousness of the gods within the shadows, imposing and almighty. But in here, the dark was swept away.

For a man who used to be considered divine, Marcus only had a wry smile.

People had whispered about a man who lived in the time of the gods, a son of Mars himself. How he had lived through serpents, enchantresses from the far east and was blessed with the very breath of Venus. Glory seemed to be naturally gifted to him from Hispaniola to Bablyonia. The officials knew much better about him than the common masses. How he was _strange_ from the stubble he kept to the lack of a wife at his expansive villa. But the divinity still kept any personal jeers at bay in fear of angering a god.

Red blood of lowly humans flowed through his veins undoubtedly. But his eyes-

The eyes of almost gold, the blood of the gods.

 

The same eyes that stared blankly at the altar with a figure of another saint. Marcus sighed through his nose as his rough worn hands were clasped together. Despite witnessing the same traditions and gods that honored him soon disappear quickly, he found himself only containing a dull pain. His new home became quickly familiar as did the markets, courthouses and palaces like he learned about Rome. His adaptability made the pain of Rome much easier to bear, much easier to face the truth of his home in ruins. Not wanting to think of such past days anymore, he soon paid his alms and went out of the shining, colorful building. Today, the light of the candles seemed to burn brighter.

As he stepped out into the busy street, he soon noticed a figure of a woman, dressed in a colorful and finely made tunic. Her dark eyes held nothing but a sadness. A sadness that seemed too familiar to Marcus- one of quiet suffering. Her usually thin mouth was grimmer, seeming permanently set into her beautiful olive features. In contrast to her melancholic mood, he only smiled in greeting. But the worriness had already settled into his heart, preparing him of whatever is to come.

 

“ Hello, Aphrodisia! What makes your face turn into such a dour mood? “

“ Marcus. “ Her curt, sharp voice held that melancholy too. The worry began to grow.

A papryus letter with a broken wax seal had been presented to him. He looked up with a raise of his eyebrows. He had expected a brutally honest answer of whatever news happening in Constantinople. But it seems like it was not.

 

The writing within was elegant, flawless in its spelling of Greek.

It read:

_Aphrodisia and Marcus,_

_Greetings._

_It has been a while since I have last communicated with you both. Judging from the news the harbor brings me, Emperor Justinian seems to keep you both busy. If time permits despite your schedules, I would you like to invite you to Egypt once more._

_I would have liked to welcome with festivities and plenty of enjoyment. But I’m afraid the situation here is much more dire._

  _I feel that very soon, I will fade away into the sand, returning where my gods now rest in the underworld._

  _My wounds are not healing at the expedient rate as it used to and the days seem much drawn out. I have become mortal some time ago. But I have come to terms with that long, long time ago._

 

_But I would like to say my goodbyes to you before it is too late. If you do arrive here, all sleeping and food arrangements have been made._

  _Yours,_

_Esi-ka_

 

Over at Egypt, gods disappeared as well. But despite his gods and his divinity disappearing, why did this come as a surprise still?

A silence stretched between him and Aphrodisia. His jaw clenched as he soon folded the letter. His eyebrows were furrowed as he could not believe the words within. He could not imagine the seemingly eternal, venerable Esi-ka to be fading away soon. She was much older than them both and seemed like she would continue to be. But it seemed like fate had finally begun to cut her life to end. His words seemed to be stuck in his mouth as he continued to think about not seeing a familiar face anymore. She would be soon buried in the sand with the pharaohs in her past.

A voice interrupted his thoughts.

“ You will be going too, right? “

He slowly nodded, unsure of where to start for a moment. He only shook his head and grimaced. His hands ran through his curly brown hair as he answered with mirthless feelings laced in his every word. “ Yes. I did not expect it so soon. We should go there with much haste as possible. But- “

A deep sight tumbled from his lips. He looked away from Aphrodisia’s piercing eyes. “ I do not understand why I’m still surprised by this. It seems like such a fact of life even after everything yet- “

 

He met Aphrodisia’s eyes and was met with empathy. It seemed to almost drown in grimness but it was still there.

 

“ I know. We all at one point did too. Either way, we all have to prepare for this trip. It’s … “

A pause. Yet it seemed to hold all her visibly unseen complicated emotions within.

She finally ended with “ It’s the least we can do for her. “

He agreed with another nod, already thinking about what to say to the emperor. He peered across the street and to the nearby markets still selling various wares. Everything seemed to continue despite practically a goddess dying. For a moment, he looked back at the church behind him with its impressive dome and sturdy thick stone walls. A bleak smile played on his lips as he turned to prepare to the trip to Egypt.

 

Even when more gods and a mere immortal like him disappear, would this church still be standing with all of its saints and a faceless god?


End file.
